Image for representation purposes only A new study by EY Greece has warned that shipping’s transition to net zero will be uneven and capital intensive, constrained by factors including alternative fuel availability, infrastructure, shipyard capacity, access to finance and fragmented commercial incentives. Responding to the report, BAR Technologies said that while the industry is right to plan for long-term fuel pathways, too much of the decarbonisation debate remains focused on what may become available in the future rather than what can be deployed now. The EY study identifies energy efficiency and operational measures as among the most practical near-term actions available to shipping. BAR Technologies argues that wind propulsion, already delivering measurable fuel and emissions savings on commercial vessels, must be recognised as a proven part of that immediate response. Wind propulsion has also passed an important market milestone. According to the International Windship Association, more than 100 large commercial cargo ships, representing over five million tonnes of deadweight capacity, are now equipped to harness wind power. That is almost five times the number recorded in May 2022, clear evidence that the technology is moving into the commercial mainstream. BAR Technologies are playing a significant part in this transition: By the end of 2026, 10 vessels will be operating with 23 WindWings® installed, giving a combined saving of approximately 100t of CO2 per day. John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies, said: “Shipping needs to stop treating decarbonisation as something that only begins when future fuels arrive or every detail of the IMO’s Net-Zero Framework is settled. The industry cannot allow the absence of perfect policy certainty to become an excuse for inaction. Proven technologies are available now, and owners can act today.” Unlike alternative fuels, wind requires no new fuel-production facilities, bunkering infrastructure or global supply chain. It is f